It is unnerving to walk into a gallery and see all your deepest fears and anxieties splayed out across the wall, but that is the power of Robert Crumb. For more than half a century, the wiry, weird, difficult and awkwardly horny artist (now in his 80s) has been churning out underground comics that lay bare his deepest neuroses, and reflect yours back in the process. Now he is being celebrated in an ultra-high-end London gallery, with pages ripped from his notebooks and framed up like the finest of fine art. Except this isn’t fine, it’s filthy and angry and paranoid. It’s classic Crumb: skinny men quivering with worry and fear and hormones in a cruel, uncaring, senseless world – filled with towering women in thigh-high boots, obviously. The best works are the simplest, the visual one-liners. Crumb flushes himself down a toilet, with graffiti on the wall saying: “Here I sit and can’t get started, tried to shit and merely farted.” Abject, miserable failure and gross humour, that’s Crumb’s world. In other self-portraits he has a gun pressed to the back of his big goofy head, or he’s whingeing about how no one could possibly understand him. “Self flagellation perhaps,” it says in one drawing, “or maybe it’s true!” He’s a terrible, and hugely relatable, mixture of supercharged self-hatred and extreme arrogance. View image in fullscreen ‘A broken, terrible dork’ … Untitled, 2007. Photograph: Robert Crumb, 2025. Courtesy the artist, Paul Morris, and David Zwirner How could he not be? The world he sees is nasty and brutal and politically anguished. An alien laments the greed and deception of the human race in one image. A miserable man with a dripping nose weeps: “I’ve blown my life, I’m fucked.” Everywhere you look you see happy, healthy humans ignoring and dismissing the poor, tortured little weirdos in their midst. The only solace in any of this comes from women: giant, towering, buxom Amazons. Crumb worships them, idolises them, grasps desperately on to their thick legs....

格隆汇1月29日丨美国11月批发销售月率1.3%，前值-0.40%。

In today's rapidly changing and fiercely competitive business landscape, it is vital for investors and industry enthusiasts to carefully evaluate companies. In this article, we will perform a comprehensive industry comparison, evaluating Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) against its key competitors in the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. By analyzing important financial metrics, market position, and growth prospects, we aim to provide valuable insights for investors and shed light on company's performance within the industry. Micron Technology Background Micron is one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world, specializing in memory and storage chips. Its primary revenue stream comes from dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, and it also has minority exposure to not-and or NAND, flash chips. Micron serves a global customer base, selling chips into data centers, mobile phones, consumer electronics, and industrial and automotive applications. The firm is vertically integrated. By conducting an in-depth analysis of Micron Technology, we can identify the following trends: Debt To Equity Ratio The debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio is a financial metric that helps determine the level of financial risk associated with a company's capital structure. Considering the debt-to-equity ratio in industry comparisons allows for a concise evaluation of a company's financial health and risk profile, aiding in informed decision-making. When examining Micron Technology in comparison to its top 4 peers with respect to the Debt-to-Equity ratio, the following information becomes apparent: Among its top 4 peers, Micron Technology has a stronger financial position with a lower debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21 . This indicates that the company relies less on debt financing and maintains a more favorable balance between debt and equity, which can be viewed positively by investors. Key Takeaways This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an ...

The actor was promoting her new lingerie line – and in 2026, marketing requires more than a glossy ad I would hate to have to launch a new product in 2026. Imagine a scenario where you’ve developed some ingenious new widget that costs millions of dollars to design, produce and bring to market. You could have quit numerous times. You probably wanted to, because there’s a new season of The Traitors and you have to catch up. But you never surrendered. You persevered, and your brilliant invention is ready for the world. All you have to do now is convince a society besieged by a nonstop cavalcade of crises to care. If the US government could kindly stop sending paramilitary forces to occupy major cities, that would be great for my brand. This is the predicament faced by poor Sydney Sweeney, the actor best known for HBO’s Euphoria and the recent film The Housemaid. This week, Sweeney debuted a new lingerie line called “Syrn”. I presume it’s meant to be pronounced “siren”, since that’s a suitably sultry-sounding name. Also, confusing, which might be part of the brilliant marketing plan behind the launch. If you baffle enough people, they’ll be sure to Google you to see what your damn problem is anyway . If I was the marketing lead on this project, I would have suggested “Syren”, since that at least has a real vowel in it, like most actual words. Unfortunately, “Syren” was the name of a Confederate blockade runner during the civil war, which we (and very particularly Sydney Sweeney ) would probably want to avoid associating with. Dave Schilling is a Los Angeles-based writer and humorist Continue reading...

格隆汇1月29日丨美国11月工厂订单月率2.7%，预期1.6%，前值-1.30%。

The latest collection by the poet Hollie McNish is dedicated to anyone who has been “blamed, shamed, pressured, tortured, dehumanised, de-mothered over a man-made concept about your own body”. Virgin is a series of poems and prose stories aimed at busting myths and challenging stereotypes about sex and the body. McNish tackles the persistently weird and outdated notions of innocence and purity around young women: “Do not tell me which touches have mattered the most / This is your obsession not mine.” In Send Nudes she notes how any shame about those who have sent “a snapshot of your body stripped autumn bare” lies with the person who broke trust by sharing or mocking it, and not with the sender. McNish narrates and, as you’d expect from a poet and spoken word artist, she brings her entire self to her performance, as though she is in the room. Her reading is expertly paced, withering in places and full of tenderness and humour. Elsewhere, she takes issue with the idea that men who have had lots of lovers are “Lotharios” who are good at sex, whereas women are “sluts”. And it is with a note of incredulity that McNish examines the expectation in certain communities that women must be virgins when they marry. It is, she notes, “property-related … instilled by those in power during times when a wife was quite literally, legally, a possession passed from father to husband”. Further listening Cursed Daughters Oyinkan Braithwaite, WF Howes, 9hr 25min Weruche Opia, Diana Yekinni and Nnei Opia Clark are the narrators of this time-hopping tale about a curse passed down through the women in one family that ensures all will be unlucky in love. Vagabond Tim Curry, Penguin Audio, 10hr 38min This bracingly sweary memoir skimps on personal details but reveals much about the actor’s career, which peaked with the part of Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The actor on manifesting the part of Hagrid in Harry Potter, struggling with his looks and his issue with Strictly You’re big on pies on your Insta. What’s your go-to pastry recipe and, briefly, your favourite filling – savoury and sweet? TopTramp Well, as much as I can make it, I like to have a little block of shop-bought shortcrust or flaky pastry in the fridge. It’s so much easier to just roll it out and stick it on top. The pies have to be double crust. The one I make the most is slow braised, tiny chunks of steak with minced beef and roasted shallots, like a minced beef and onion pie. The kids love that with chips for Saturday night dinner. I like making chicken and mushroom with leek, although my partner’s a veggie, so she would probably say fish pie, with boiled eggs, which is a real labour of love, so I tend to save that for special occasions. I like a nice apple and cinnamon pie with a Demerara sugar crust, and cherry pie made with that really shit fake filling. What happened to your live-action remake of Captain Pugwash? keithrickaby That was nearly 10 years ago. There was quite a good script. I think the money was coming from China, and I’m not sure they’d seen Captain Pugwash before. I think it was one of those things that never quite reached escape velocity. I do remember they just had normal names, and not the double entendres like Seaman Staines or Master Bates that everyone thinks were in the cartoon. Continue reading...

Amidst today's fast-paced and highly competitive business environment, it is crucial for investors and industry enthusiasts to conduct comprehensive company evaluations. In this article, we will delve into an extensive industry comparison, evaluating Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) in comparison to its major competitors within the Automobiles industry. By analyzing critical financial metrics, market position, and growth potential, our objective is to provide valuable insights for investors and offer a deeper understanding of company's performance in the industry. Tesla Background Tesla is a vertically integrated battery electric vehicle automaker and developer of real world artificial intelligence software, which includes autonomous driving and humanoid robots. The company has multiple vehicles in its fleet, which include luxury and midsize sedans, crossover SUVs, a light truck, and a semi truck. Tesla also plans to begin selling a sports car and offer a robotaxi service. Global deliveries in 2024 were a little below 1.8 million vehicles. The company sells batteries for stationary storage for residential and commercial properties including utilities and solar panels and solar roofs for energy generation. Tesla also owns a fast-charging network and an auto insurance business. When conducting a detailed analysis of Tesla, the following trends become clear: Debt To Equity Ratio The debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio gauges the extent to which a company has financed its operations through debt relative to equity. Considering the debt-to-equity ratio in industry comparisons allows for a concise evaluation of a company's financial health and risk profile, aiding in informed decision-making. By evaluating Tesla against its top 4 peers in terms of the Debt-to-Equity ratio, the following observations arise: When comparing the debt-to-equity ratio, Tesla is in a stronger financial position compared to its top 4 peers. The company has a lower level of debt relative to its equity, indicating a mor...

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纳斯达克100指数跌幅扩大至1.1%，成分股Atlassian跌11.5%，微软跌11%，Workday跌9.5%，财捷跌7%，Strategy跌超5%。

J Studios Global brand power in 2025 remained concentrated among companies that combine scale with everyday relevance. YouGov’s latest global survey shows technology still dominates, but consumer staples and autos continue to signal trust and durability. Here are the top 10 brands in the last year: WhatsApp ( META ) Average Index score: 41.5 Top markets: Indonesia, India Samsung ( SSNLF ) Average Index score: 41.4 Top markets: Indonesia, Philippines YouTube ( GOOGL ) Average Index score: 41.1 Top markets: Thailand, India Google ( GOOGL ) Average Index score: 38.6 Top markets: India, Thailand adidas Average Index score: 35.3 Top markets: Saudi Arabia, UAE Nike ( NKE ) Average Index score: 34.5 Top markets: Mexico, UAE Netflix ( NFLX ) Average Index score: 34.1 Top markets: Brazil, Mexico Dettol ( RBGLY ) Average Index score: 33.0 Top markets: Egypt, UAE Colgate ( CL ) Average Index score: 32.9 Top markets: Philippines, Brazil Toyota ( TM ) Average Index score: 32.3 Top markets: Philippines, Australia More related stories Meta: Set For New Highs In 2026 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (SSNLF) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Netflix And Warner Bros. Discovery Discover A New Path Forward Samsung flags near-term smartphone weakness, persistent chip shortage Biggest stock movers Thursday: MSFT, META, TSLA, and more

J Studios Global brand power in 2025 remained concentrated among companies that combine scale with everyday relevance. YouGov’s latest global survey shows technology still dominates, but consumer staples and autos continue to signal trust and durability. Here are the top 10 brands in the last year: WhatsApp ( META ) Average Index score: 41.5 Top markets: Indonesia, India Samsung ( SSNLF ) Average Index score: 41.4 Top markets: Indonesia, Philippines YouTube ( GOOGL ) Average Index score: 41.1 Top markets: Thailand, India Google ( GOOGL ) Average Index score: 38.6 Top markets: India, Thailand adidas Average Index score: 35.3 Top markets: Saudi Arabia, UAE Nike ( NKE ) Average Index score: 34.5 Top markets: Mexico, UAE Netflix ( NFLX ) Average Index score: 34.1 Top markets: Brazil, Mexico Dettol ( RBGLY ) Average Index score: 33.0 Top markets: Egypt, UAE Colgate ( CL ) Average Index score: 32.9 Top markets: Philippines, Brazil Toyota ( TM ) Average Index score: 32.3 Top markets: Philippines, Australia More related stories Meta: Set For New Highs In 2026 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (SSNLF) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Netflix And Warner Bros. Discovery Discover A New Path Forward Samsung flags near-term smartphone weakness, persistent chip shortage Biggest stock movers Thursday: MSFT, META, TSLA, and more

China’s leadership has paid tribute to Liao Xilong, praising the late general for his loyalty to the Communist Party and military service. Liao, 85, who was in charge of overhauling military logistics, died on January 23, state news agency Xinhua reported on Thursday, the day of his funeral. “[Liao was] a time-tested and loyal communist warrior, an outstanding military commander, and an exemplary leader in advancing the comprehensive modernisation of military logistics,” the report said. Advertisement The report came just days after the downfall of China’s highest-ranking general , Zhang Youxia, on the weekend. Liao and Zhang were both combat veterans and rose to high military office but one was bid a hero’s farewell while the other became a casualty of an anti-corruption campaign sweeping through the military. 01:12 Two top Chinese military generals removed, under investigation for ‘serious violations’ Two top Chinese military generals removed, under investigation for ‘serious violations’ Liao was a veteran of the Sino-Vietnamese conflicts of the 1970s and 80s, in which Zhang also saw combat.

Are you a zebra-striper, alternating your alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic versions to moderate your intake? Or are you booze-free? As curbing drinking becomes more popular, it’s clear that this moment of sober curiosity is moving beyond Dry January and into the everyday. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Luckily, the drinks industry is scratching our sobriety itch with a bevy of good alcohol-free products. If you’re ready to wet your whistle with something delicious that won’t have you stumbling into the next day with a sore head, read on to discover the best no- and low-alcohol whites, reds and rosés from my taste testing (as well as a couple of mid-strength options), perfect for any time, any place. The best non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wines No- and low-alcohol white wines Moderato Colombard cuvée révolutionnaire, 0.5% Born from French winemaking heritage, this alcohol-free white is one of the few that could truly be mistaken for the real thing. The Colombard grape is typically high in acidity, with fresh floral aromas and notes of lemon, grapefruit and peach, and its flavours stay on the tongue well after the last sip. Moderato’s founders, Fabien Marchand-Cassagne and Sebastien Thomas, are pioneers in the alcohol-free wine movement in France, establishing Le Chai Sobre (the Sober Cellar), the country’s leading production centre for alcohol-free wine. Thomson & Scott Noughty non-alcoholic blanc, <0.5% Noughty is a premium, organic, non-alcoholic wine brand that has raised the bar for what alcohol-free wine can achieve. For about £10, its white, with less than 0.5% ABV (about as much as a ripe banana), is great value for money. Made from chardonnay and chenin blanc in South Africa, this is a fresh, crisp wine with an authentic wine-like texture. It’s dry, too, so it won’t be mistaken for fruit juice, unlike some other alcohol-free offerings. Bolle chardonnay, <0.5% B...

The market expects Alpha and Omega Semiconductor (AOSL) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended December 2025. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates. The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on February 5. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise. Zacks Consensus Estimate This chipmaker is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.08 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -188.9%. Revenues are expected to be $160 million, down 7.6% from the year-ago quarter. Estimate Revisions Trend The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Chart for AOSL Earnings Whisper Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction). The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Acc...

Amazon (AMZN) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended December 2025. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price. The earnings report, which is expected to be released on February 5, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise. Zacks Consensus Estimate This online retailer is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.98 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +6.5%. Revenues are expected to be $211.53 billion, up 12.6% from the year-ago quarter. Estimate Revisions Trend The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.46% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Chart for AMZN Earnings Whisper Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; th...

Amazon (AMZN) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended December 2025. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price. The earnings report, which is expected to be released on February 5, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise. Zacks Consensus Estimate This online retailer is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.98 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +6.5%. Revenues are expected to be $211.53 billion, up 12.6% from the year-ago quarter. Estimate Revisions Trend The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.46% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Chart for AMZN Earnings Whisper Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; th...

Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chief Executive Officer — Vimal Kapur Chief Financial Officer — Mike Stepniak Head of Investor Relations — Sean Meakim TAKEAWAYS Organic Orders Growth -- Orders increased 23% organically during the quarter, resulting in a record backlog exceeding $37 billion. -- Orders increased 23% organically during the quarter, resulting in a record backlog exceeding $37 billion. Organic Sales -- Organic sales rose 11% for the quarter (6% excluding the Bombardier agreement), led by double-digit growth in Aerospace and high single-digit growth in Building Automation. -- Organic sales rose 11% for the quarter (6% excluding the Bombardier agreement), led by double-digit growth in Aerospace and high single-digit growth in Building Automation. Segment Performance -- Aerospace organic sales grew 11% (excluding Bombardier), with commercial aftermarket and defense posting strength; Building Automation grew 8% organically, led by 9% growth in solutions and 8% in products; Industrial Automation delivered 1% organic sales growth; Process Automation Technology remained flat; Energy and Sustainability Solutions saw a 7% organic decline. -- Aerospace organic sales grew 11% (excluding Bombardier), with commercial aftermarket and defense posting strength; Building Automation grew 8% organically, led by 9% growth in solutions and 8% in products; Industrial Automation delivered 1% organic sales growth; Process Automation Technology remained flat; Energy and Sustainability Solutions saw a 7% organic decline. Book-to-Bill Ratio -- Company-wide book-to-bill stood at 1.2, supporting backlog growth of 15% year over year. -- Company-wide book-to-bill stood at 1.2, supporting backlog growth of 15% year over year. Adjusted Segment Profit -- Adjusted segment profit rose 23% (or 2% excluding Bombardier), with segment margin at 22.8%; margin expansion in Building Automation and Aerospace was partially offset by ESS an...

The market expects Boyd Gaming (BYD) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended December 2025. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates. The earnings report, which is expected to be released on February 5, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise. Zacks Consensus Estimate This casino operator is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.88 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -4.1%. Revenues are expected to be $1.01 billion, down 3.2% from the year-ago quarter. Estimate Revisions Trend The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.73% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Chart for BYD Earnings Whisper Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction). The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus ...

美国11月耐用品订单环比终值 5.3%，初值 5.3%。

美国11月批发库存环比 0.2%，预期 0.2%，前值 0.2%。

美国11月扣除运输类耐用品订单环比终值 0.4%，初值 0.5%。

美国11月工厂订单环比 2.7%，预期 1.6%，前值 -1.3%。

美国11月扣除飞机非国防资本耐用品订单环比终值 0.4%，初值 0.7%。

美国11月扣除运输的工厂订单环比 0.2%，前值 -0.2%。

On today’s episode of Decoder , I’m talking about the bidding war over Warner Bros. Discovery, which is the biggest story in the entertainment industry right now, and for good reason. It has pretty much everything you could want in a buzzy Hollywood saga — big names, big money, and big drama. Right now, the winning bidder is Netflix. The streaming juggernaut won the bid for Warner Bros. offering $83 billion dollars for the movie studios, but not the cable channels, to keep its content machine humming for more than 325 million subscribers. But Paramount Skydance simply won’t go away, even though the official process is over. The company has bid, bid again, and is now attempting a hostile takeover to the tune of $108 billion for the whole package, including those cable channels that, notably, are not a part of Netflix’s offer. Paramount is run by David Ellison, the son of Oracle cofounder and tech billionaire Larry Ellison, and I have to say his whole vibe feels ripped straight from an episode of Succession . This man is desperate to become a bona fide media mogul, using the combination of Paramount, his dad’s ever-growing AI money, and the good graces of the Trump administration to make it happen. Verge subscribers, don’t forget you get exclusive access to ad-free Decoder wherever you get your podcasts. Head here . Not a subscriber? You can sign up here . Caught up in the middle of all this are HBO, CNN, and Warner Bros. Pictures. Despite world-class brand recognition, legitimate megahits, and legendary franchises, these companies have been so historically, comically mismanaged under a long series of clueless corporate parents that the whole bundle has ended up sold, merged, or spun off into something new more times than I can count. Seriously, it’s mind-boggling how badly companies like AOL, Time Warner, and AT&T have fumbled this over the last 25 years. To help me make sense of it all, I wanted to talk with Julia Alexander, a Verge alum and now media correspondent ...

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is pushing OpenAI for assurances it won’t seek a government bailout if it doesn’t turn a profit. In a letter to CEO Sam Altman, Warren says she is concerned that the company is preparing to fall back “on the classic strategy of privatizing profits and socializing losses” amid soaring spending and growing fears of an AI bubble popping. Warren writes that she is worried OpenAI “has committed to more than a trillion dollars in spending despite not yet turning a profit” and “appears to be seeking government assistance should it prove unable to pay its bills.” The senator, a ranking member on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, says the company’s “increasingly tangled web of speculative, debt-based industry partnerships and circular spending arrangements” creates risk for the entire US economy, which could leave the government with little option but to step in should the AI industry falter. Warren points to CoreWeave as an example, noting that the company is saddled with debt to fulfill its contract with OpenAI, which has “comparatively little debt on its own balance sheet.” OpenAI has repeatedly rejected the idea it is seeking or has government guarantees. The company has been in a near-constant state of PR crisis over the matter since last November, when CFO Sarah Friar suggested taxpayers should “backstop” the company’s hefty infrastructure investments. Friar swiftly walked back her remarks and Altman stressed that OpenAI does “not have or want government guarantees for OpenAI datacenters [sic].” However, Warren writes that these “statements do not appear to reject federal loans and guarantees for the AI industry as a whole.” Even without a targeted bailout, Warren says OpenAI would benefit handsomely from such industry-wide support “given the scale of its financial commitments and the mismatch between its spending and revenues.” Warren wrote to Sacks in November asking the administration to confirm it will not ...

jetcityimage/iStock Editorial via Getty Images How many stunners can the investors of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated ( UNH ) really manage? A post-earnings decline that saw investors fleeing for the exit was met with some much-needed respite on Wednesday's session, as the stock recovered some ground, finishing the day's trading up 4% on the dot. However, calling it a "recovery" could be construed as a misnomer by investors who have followed the ups and downs of UNH over the past year. Worries about whether another debilitating valuation reset is around the corner, as the market considers whether the summer lows of 2025 will be replayed yet again. Putting confidence into the UnitedHealth narrative will require much faith from here. UNH's price action has now declined into a precarious "drop zone." At the current levels, buyers either show enough resolve to help the stock regain control of the $320 level or potentially face a deeper market reckoning that could prolong the pain for shareholders through 2026's summer months at the very least. In my previous UnitedHealth write-up, I reminded everyone that guidance at the most recent Q4 earnings will not only be important but also pivotal to assess whether the leading health insurer is on its way to chart a sustainable "return to growth and margin expansion." Change in Medicare Advantage government payment rates (WSJ) However, the market, and in this case, the US government, seems to have other ideas, as fears returned to the market and rocked the UNH ship violently. Why? I guess I don't have to remind readers that just before the monumental release that triggered the post-earnings slide, CMS unveiled "nearly flat reimbursement rates for next year," as compared to the 5% uptick for 2026. That appears to indicate to the leading insurers not to expect "business as usual," as the health insurance industry undergoes some of the most consequential upheavals in recent times. UnitedHealth's response isn't surprising. Management...

Trevor Williams/DigitalVision via Getty Images Summary Foreign equity markets delivered their best returns in over a decade while our International Growth Composite Portfolio (the “Portfolio) finished the year essentially flat. This underperformance was not a result of deteriorating business fundamentals among our holdings, but rather a pronounced market preference for cyclically sensitive businesses. We seek to invest in businesses with durable competitive advantages, strong returns on capital, and resilient earnings. Investment styles cycle in and out of favor but we believe that over the long-term investors are best served by investing in quality businesses that grow without taking undue risks. Top relative contributors to the Portfolio’s performance included Tokyo Electron, Alibaba Group (not owned), and ASML. The largest relative detractors in the quarter were Monday.com, MercadoLibre, and SAP. During the quarter, we established a new position in Nintendo and added to several existing holdings to capture emerging opportunities and evolving company fundamentals. To fund these investments and optimize portfolio positioning, we eliminated positions in Teleperformance and Siemens Healthineers and trimmed selected exposures across the Portfolio. Seeks Growth & Capital Preservation (Performance (%) as of 12-31-2025) Qtr YTD 1 Yr 3 Yr 5 Yr 10 Yr Inception (1-1-2017) Polen International Growth (Gross) -2.21 0.68 0.68 8.23 -0.78 - 6.66 Polen International Growth (Net) -2.52 -0.52 -0.52 6.94 -1.80 - 5.67 MSCI ACWI (ex-USA) 5.05 32.39 32.39 17.30 7.90 - 8.85 Click to enlarge The performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher. Periods over one-year are annualized. Performance figures are presented gross and net of fees and have been calculated after the deduction of all transaction costs and commissions, and include the reinvestment of all income. Please reference the GIPS Report which a...

NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Oracle Corporation ("Oracle" or the "Company") (NYSE: ORCL). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Oracle and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On September 10, 2025, Oracle and OpenAI OpCo, LLC ("OpenAI") announced a $300 billion, five-year cloud computing contract to supply OpenAI with computing power. On November 13, 2025, reports emerged that Oracle was seeking to raise an additional $38 billion in debt sales to help fund its AI buildout, with loan proceeds to fund two data centers that would support the Oracle-OpenAI agreement. On this news, Oracle's stock price fell $9.42 per share, or 4.15%, to close at $217.57 per share on November 13, 2025. Then, on a December 10, 2025 earnings call, Oracle's Executive Vice President and Principal Financial Officer disclosed that the Company "now expect[s] fiscal 2026 CapEx will be about $15 billion higher than we forecasted after Q1." On this news, Oracle's stock price fell $24.16 per share, or 10.83%, to close at $198.85 per share on December 11, 2025. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. ...